Kasich, Strickland debate for final time

TOLEDO -- Gov. Ted Strickland and John Kasich came out swinging Thursday night in the final debate of the gubernatorial campaign.

The state's top Democrat jabbed with, "I call him a Wall Street congressman" and "I promise you (the people of Ohio), I will serve you to the best of my ability."

His Republican challenger countered with, "You've been asleep at the wheel" and "I'm running to try to create jobs and straighten out Ohio and restore the great legacy."

Strickland and Kasich sparred for about an hour at the University of Toledo before a panel of reporters representing the state's largest newspapers, answering questions on everything from education reform to expanded gambling in Ohio.

They responded by repeating many of the same themes they've focused on throughout the campaign -- Strickland calling out Kasich for his ties to Wall Street and Kasich criticizing Strickland for Ohio jobs lost under his administration.

Among the specific topics covered:

n School Reform: Kasich reiterated that he will abandon the so-called evidence-based model of school reform signed into law by Strickland with a 10-year phase-in period.

In its place, he said he would push to run schools more like businesses, with increased emphasis on shared services, school choice and the elimination of mandates that he believes are hurting districts.

"It's not paid for," he said of Strickland's plan. "He promised he was going to fix education. ... it isn't fixed. There's no money in the program."

But Strickland said his plan drives money into the classroom and does not push mandates on schools until school funding is provided by the state.

And he said Kasich's move would lead to higher property taxes.

"My opponent doesn't understand, there are no unfunded mandates," he said, adding later, "We must take the burden off the local property taxpayer."

n Outsourcing: Both candidates said they support trade policies that will benefit Ohio companies and workers.

"What I want to do is outsource products from Ohio and America, not jobs from Ohio and America," Strickland said.

n Economic Development: Kasich said the state has been too slow in responding to business needs. He said his plan to privatize the Ohio Department of Development would change that.

"I want to have people that understand the language of the job creators," he said. "I want people who can move at the speed of light. ... We can't keep doing what we're doing."

But Strickland said state and federal officials have worked hard to deal with the effects of a national recession, and stimulus and other efforts have helped stabilize the economy.

""f my opponent and his friends had had their way, there likely would have been no surviving auto industry in America," he said, adding later, "I don't know what you think the president and our Democratic friends should have done. The fact [is] that 8.5 million jobs were lost, and most of those jobs were lost during the Bush Administration. ... All you and your friends want to do is criticize and say 'No, no, no.'"

n Gambling: Both candidates agreed that the new state commission that will oversee casinos in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Toledo should be made up of people of high integrity and that every effort should be made to ensure crime and other negative elements don't hurt the surrounding communities.

"The people voted to establish casinos," he said. "... That was the will of the people. It was not something that I supported, but the people have spoken."

Strickland has supported allowing slot machines, operated by the state lottery, at horse racing tracks. Kasich said he has not yet made up his mind on whether he would pursue a gambling expansion.

"I won't take a position on that yet," he said

n Marc Kovac is the Dix capital bureau chief. E-mail him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.